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2008-03-22

Tomas Rosicky, the talented Czech Republic player, has been out of action since January with a knee problem, and when asked about how long he will remain sidelined for, he admitted he has no idea.

"In fact, it is still the same, there is no prospect, I don't know for the present,” said Rosicky. “I have missed football badly. I have never had such a long break. Not even when I broke my arm as I could take part of the game afterwards with a bandage.

"I take it as this simply is a part of this sport, and strong individuals must cope with it. And I will cope with it. It will not stop me nor break me down. However, I have realised how much I love football" he concluded.

2008-03-16

Wenger team dropped into second place in the English Premier League after struggling to a 1-1 draw at home to FC Middlesbrough, while the rivals Manchester United managed a 1-0 triumph over cellar-dwellers Derby to take the first position of the tournament.

In fact, former Arsenal player Jeremie Aliadiere opened the scoring for Middlesbrough after 26 minutes with a tap-in from six yards, despite claims of off-side by Arsenal defenders.

The London squad then pressed for much of the match only to be repeatedly thwarted by Middlesbrough’s Australian keeper Mark Shwarzer, before Kolo Toure powered home a header three minutes from fulltime.

The gunners coach Arsene Wenger was unhappy to let more precious points slip away but insisted his side could break its four-year run without a title.

“It is really disappointing but I feel we didn't get the result we deserved. The team gave absolutely everything but it doesn't go for us at the moment,” Wenger admitted. “We have to keep our spirit. We could now earned eight points more and hopefully we won't regret that at the end of the season.”

With Manchester United victory, now Ferguson's team lead Arsenal on goal difference and have a game in hand, with both sides sitting on 67 points. Chelsea, also with a match up its sleeve, is three points back on 64 going into the season’s home stretch.

2008-03-07

Arsenal young frontman Theo Walcott was injured Thursday during a friendly game against the MSL Colorado Rapids. Walcott hurt a thigh muscle in a 2-1 victory by the Arsenal reserves.

Indeed, Walcott will not accompany the Arsenal first team as it travels for a Sunday Premiership fixture against Wigan.

In fact, Arsene Wenger confirmed Walcott's injury: "Today we also lost Theo Walcott. He played against Colorado Rapids, and he got a little thigh problem."

According to reports, Robin van Persie played an hour against the Rapids and is expected to join Arsenal's full squad against Wigan.

In the loss, the Rapids' first of the preseason, forward Tom McManus played a ball through to Colin Clark in the 87th minute. And Clark struck it past keeper Lukasz Fabianski for the Rapids' only goal.

As we know, the Rapids had trailed only 1-0 at the half, and the Rapids came out the gates quickly with midfielder Terry Cooke and McManus playing some beautiful one-touch passes that only a diving Fabianski could stop from tying the score in the 48th minute.

The Gunners, however, scored in the 66th minute for a 2-0 lead.

Rapids keeper Justin Hughes kept the Rapids close the entire game with key saves, including one on a breakaway in the 12th minute. But the London team scored on the ensuing corner kick.

2008-03-02

The talented Eduardo Da Silva said the quick work of physio Gary Lewin after he had broken his leg against Birmingham City last week could have saved his career.

As we know, Eduardo suffered a terrible fractured left fibula and an open dislocation of his ankle joint after a tackle by Birmingham City defender Martin Taylor.

The Croatian player is likely to be out for nine months but Arsenal expect him to make a full recovery. "The injury was so grave I could have lost my foot," he expressed. "So I will always be grateful to Gary for what he did in lowering the risk to my leg. That was decisive. I do not remember too much about the blow."

"In fact, I just remember the pain, seeing that my foot had rotated, but I only recaptured my senses in hospital."

According to the media, Eduardo was visited in hospital by Taylor and has accepted his apologies for the tackle which has ruled him out of the Euro 2008 tournament in June.

"And all I could do was look at his face I was totally pre-occupied," said Eduardo."I wanted to believe what Taylor said and to think that what happened was just an unfortunate accident."

"I really had to look at him. I could not understand how anyone could make a tackle like that in only the third minute of a match. But in the end I believed that Taylor was being honest and I accepted his excuses."

The young player said not being able to represent Croatia in Euro 2008 was "the worst blow" but he was heartened by the many messages of support from his club and international team mates.

"I will miss Arsenal's race for the title and the Champions League campaign but, most of all, my first European Championship with Croatia. That is the worst blow," he expressed. "That was a big dream for me. To qualify was one of the best moments in my life but I am only 25 and I can play in other Euros. That's what is in my head" he concluded.